Chapter 1 – Tiril at the Threshold

As I pressed the doorbell on the picturesque small suburban house, I could barely hear the sound of the bell over my own heartbeat. It had been a week of agonizing "Should I not?" "Should I?" "No, I definitely shouldn't!" "I should. Right?"

As I waited, and tried to convince myself to run away, my mind wandered back to the flier on the billboard at campus:

Welcome to Tie-up Tuesdays!

Members wanted.

Every week at 6 PM.

No boys allowed!

There had been an e-mail address. After thinking way too much about it I finally sent a message from one of the computers at the campus library. It was the first e-mail I had ever sent and a man from the library staff helped me set up an address. Computers sure were getting small nowadays. I had even seen a student with a portable one, even though it occupied an entire backpack.

When I returned to the library the next day, I had received an answer. It was basically like writing with a pen-pal, just a lot quicker. And it felt...

Geez. Maybe I should leave after all? I wasn't ready for this.

Just as I started to turn around, the door handle started to rattle. As if someone had trouble getting it open. The house was surrounded by hedges. If I made a run for it, I could probably hide before the door opened. As I hesitated, the door creaked, and the nose of the friendliest little face pushed it wide open.

"Ooh you must be Tiril!" The high blonde ponytail swung like it was unaffected by gravity. "I'm Jenny. Sorry for not shaking your hand but... you know", she let out a giggle as she turned enough for me to see her back.

Her hands were crossed behind her. And they were tied up with rope.

"Y-yes" I managed to say as I stared. I mean. I knew what this was about. I just wasn't prepared to see someone so relaxed with letting someone else see them... tied up. I swallowed hard.

Jenny smiled.

"Please come in! I'll take you down to the clubhouse to meet the rest."

As I prayed to whoever might listen about not letting this be a huge mistake, I crossed the threshold.

Chapter 2 – The Clubhouse

As I followed Jenny down the stairs, I couldn't take my eyes of her wrists. Crossed at the small of her back, the rope around them looked soft but snug as it kept them together. On top there was a simple but sturdy knot that she could just about reach with her thumbs. Could she untie it if she wished to? Or was she stuck until someone decided to let her loose?

Suddenly we were at the bottom of the stairs. I couldn't remember a single of the steps down as my feet fell into the fuzzy carpet floor.

"Ditte, Arja, this is Tiril, the Norwegian girl I told you about", Jenny said and sidled up to me as I eyed two more fresh faces.

"I'm Ditte. Nice to meet you", said the girl who sat with her back to one of the walls. She had a pair of Walkman headphones around her neck, in part covered by two red braids. Her cheeks were colonized by a bustling settlement of freckles.

I lifted my hand slightly in response.

"Ditte is from Denmark", Jenny filled in. "Actually, since you're from Norway, we've covered the entire Nordic region between us, Since Arja is from..."

"Finland", Arja said, interrupting. "I'm sure our new friend has figured it out."

Arja sat in a swivel lounge-chair. Her hair was short and framed her face. It was so blonde it was almost white. Her hands fiddled with a brown piece of rope. The same color as the one around Jenny's wrists.

"And Jenny? The Nordic region includes Iceland," she said. Her accent was thick. "So, Tiril from Norway, you want to be tied up?"

As Arja rose from the chair, I realized how tall she was. Like, at least a head taller than me. Even with the tiny smile on her lips she was quite imposing. I felt like a caterpillar getting eyed by a spider.

"C-could I wait and see for a bit first?" My god, I was such a wuss. Arja rolled her eyes. I hoped it was in jest.

"Fine", she said. "I guess I'll settle for Jenny."

"Settle!?" I heard Jenny cry out in mock outrage as I retreated down on the floor next to Ditte. I looked around. The room was big and open with wooden walls and high windows just above the outside surface level. A couch and Arja’s swivel lounge chair. Some wooden chairs as well. A thick television set complete with its own antenna. A small table with glasses and a pitcher of what looked like iced tea. A drawer and a wardrobe. The wardrobe was slightly ajar and from my position I could see several hooks. Hooks with rope. With rolls of tape. With fuzzy handcuffs.

"Don't worry, Tiril. We don't bite. Not hard anyway", Ditte said as she put a hand on my shoulder. I very proudly didn't flinch. Much. "Just settle in and we'll see what Arja does to our little Swedish blonde."

Chapter 3 – You Forgot Iceland!

"So... have you ever been tied up before?" Ditte asked as I watched Arja squat and tie Jenny's ankles together. Apparently, Arja was going to use one rope for each Nordic country. Compared to Arja, Ditte felt easy to talk to.

"Not really. Not as an adult, anyway. But as a kid I used to play with my older brothers. Especially when they wanted me out of the way or wanted the Nintendo for themselves." I watched Jenny struggle a bit to keep her balance as her walking privileges had been removed. "I usually got free pretty easily, but... I don't know. Then we all got older and stopped. I tie myself up from time to time though.” I stopped myself. This was over sharing. I would make a bad impression, like a weirdo. “How about you?"

"Heh, I'm in it for the struggle and the escapes", Ditte said. "I’m pretty good, as long as it's just rope or tape. Arja gets quite frustrated with me when she thinks she's caught me, and I just slip free."

"Is that so?" Arja said as she had moved on to Jenny's thighs. "I seem to recall you got quite 'frustrated' yourself last week when you were stuck for the entire hour?"

Jenny just stood. She had started to breathe through her mouth. Every so often she closed her eyes and smiled.

"I was biding my time! And you got lucky!” Ditte turned back to me. “By the way, I love your hair, Tiril."

"Really?" I ran my fingers through some of my deep brown tresses. They instantly got caught. "It's always such a mess, no matter how much I brush it."

"But there’s so much of it! You're like some Norwegian forest creature", Ditte was obviously teasing me, and after a quick pause she added: "In a good way of course!"

Arja started to wind another rope around Jenny's elbows. That was something my brothers had never thought of doing. I watched fascinated as the arms of the Swedish girl got drawn closer and closer together.

"Careful, Tiril", Ditte whispered. "Don’t drool on the carpet."

I instantly closed my mouth. I really had been gaping. How embarrassing!

Ditte laughed. It seemed friendly, but I couldn't shake the feeling that she was laughing at me.

"Relax Tiril, I'm just teasing you. But I can tell you're going to have a lot of fun here, once you settle into things."

As Arja cinched Jenny's elbows and made a knot on top Jenny rolled her shoulders, as best she could.

"Wow, Arja. You usually don't tie my elbows this tight. It feels fine though. Are you trying to impress our newcomer, maybe?"

Arja snorted. "As if!" The Finnish girl glanced quickly at me. I felt like she looked straight at the anxious Tiril inside of me.

"But you made a mistake", Jenny continued. That was only four ropes, and I happen to know that there are five Nordic countries. You forgot Iceland!"

Jenny was obviously being cheeky. How would Arja react.

"Is that so?", Arja said as she moved behind Jenny. I could see her pull a piece of cloth from her pocket. It had a big knot in the middle. "Then I guess you get Iceland for dessert!"

"Wha-", was all Jenny had time to say as the knot was jammed into her gaping mouth. Her cheeks distorted as Arja pulled tight and knotted the ends together behind Jenny's head.

Jenny was gagged.

I felt a jolt going through my body as I took this in. I absolutely loved to gag myself. But it had always felt... embarrassing. Like I was some kind of weirdo. It was something I had never shared with a single other human being. I mean, who would, right? And here Arja just gagged Jenny. Right in front of me. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Would she... gag me too? If I asked? Maybe even if I didn't?

Just like Jenny?

If my mouth wasn't so dry, I certainly would have drooled for real that time.

Chapter 4 – Iced Tea

"Wiff if mof fae!" Jenny said as she tried to get a view of her own arms. "I wanfed fo falk mo wiff Fiviv!"

Jenny was quite understandable even with the gag in her mouth as she mock glared at Arja.

"Maybe you should focus a bit more on your hosting duties instead of slacking off?" Arja said as she moved closer to the pitcher of iced tea. "You haven't even given your guests anything to drink."

"Hff!" Jenny stuck up her nose as she jumped a bit closer to Arja. It looked incredibly cute. "I'm fied uff. You wo iff!"

I felt obligated to defuse the situation.

"Oh, I don't need any..." I started until I felt Ditte's elbow nudge me in the side.

"Just watch, Tiril", she whispered. "Jenny loves to be a brat to Arja whenever she's tied up."

Arja plucked a large ice cube from the pitcher with two fingers. As she moved closer to Jenny the eyes of the blonde Swedish girl grew bigger. She started to protest and tried to jump away, but Arja easily caught the back of her collar. A drop from the ice cube hit her neck and Jenny shrieked. Was this okay? I glanced at Ditte. She just smiled and slightly shook her head while Jenny tried her best to get away from Arja. Another drop trickled down Jenny’s shirt and she made another high-pitched squeal, followed by laughter. I decided this was fine.

"Ofay! ofay! I'w wo iff!" Another drop hit. "Fweafe! Aawa! I'w ferf we fea!"

Arja seemed to consider for a moment. She toyed with both Jenny and the ice cube.

"Well, get to it then!" Arja turned Jenny around to face the table.

Jenny took a small jump forward on her tied up legs, but it was cut short. Arja’s finger was still hooked around Jenny's collar.

"And this... is for being a brat."

I could see in slow motion as Arja dropped the entire ice cube down Jenny's shirt. The fabric was slightly elastic and snapped back around her neck as Arja released her grip.

Jenny froze for a moment. Then she became frantic. The gag did nothing at all to silence her. She sounded like a cat that had fallen into a bathtub. If this had been an apartment, the neighbors would surely have come knocking. Jenny fought desperately to get the freezing ice cube out from her tight shirt. Her body swayed and contorted, and her wispy ponytail made intricate patterns in the air. The cube seemed to have settled just above her tied elbows, and I could feel my own skin prickle as I imagined freezing trickles of water down my spine.

Still, I couldn't look away. Jenny was tied up and obviously couldn't do a thing about what was happening to her. And a significant part of me wished that the one up there was me instead of her. I know how it sounds. Almost no one would agree with this. Still, it was the truth.

"Better hurry up", Arja said. "Before I pour the entire pitcher down your pants."

Jenny wasn't wearing pants. She wore a skirt and a pair of tights. But she wasn't in any position to argue. She shot Arja a glare that was an indecipherable mix of emotions. Then she took a deep shuddering breath and started to pour the tea into the glasses. It would have been hard enough just with her wrists and elbows stuck behind her back, but the constant sensation of the melting ice made Jenny jolt and grunt with frustration.

"Don't spill any and serve your guests like a good hostess", Arja said. "And maybe I'll take that gag out of your mouth and let you have a sip."

As Jenny took one of the tall glasses and started to, very carefully, make her way over to me, I felt a peculiar combination of feelings. Part of me wanted to comfort Jenny. Maybe even hug her. But part of me wanted to tease her. I suddenly found myself wondering if she was ticklish. What would happen if I jabbed my fingers into her sides as she came at me with the tea. Would she spill? Would she drop the glass? It would make an awful stain on the carpet floor. What would Arja do? Would she punish Jenny? Would she punish me? I swallowed.

In the end, I just accepted the glass from Jenny with a thanks.

"You'v wewfome, Fiviv", Jenny said as she winked at me.

I was such a wuss. Ditte at least patted Jenny on the head when she got her glass.

I wished I had thought of that.

Chapter 5 – The Cocoon

"So, tell us your secrets, Tiril!" Jenny asked as things had settled down a bit. Arja had untied her, and Jenny had shaken the half-melted ice cube out of her shirt. She still wore the knotted cloth around her neck. It took all my willpower to not stare at it. She had marks on her wrists as well. Like memories.

I bought myself some time by quickly putting the glass to my lips. It was very refreshing. What was I supposed to tell them? What if they would still think I was a weirdo. Or what if they thought I was too normal? I ended up drinking until the glass was empty.

"Tiril already told me some", Ditte said. I was thankful that she filled the silence, but also dreaded what she would say. "She ties herself up. And from what I gathered just now I don't think she minds having someone else tied up either. At least not if they're blonde and bratty Swedish girls."

I’m sure my face went all red. I hadn't said anything about that. I wasn't even sure it was true. I started to open my mouth.

"So, you like both? Well, you're not getting me tied up anytime soon", Arja said. "Unless you think you could do it by force?"

"Give her some space, guys", Jenny said. "So, what do you do when you tie yourself up, Tiril? I'd love to hear about it!"

I took a deep breath. No one interrupted time. Eventually, I couldn’t take the silence and started to speak.

"I... use the sash from my bathrobe. I loop it around my wrists a few times, and then I twist it, so it goes snug. It's easy to release, but... then I lay on my bed and... imagine. That someone has me all trussed up and at their mercy. That it's not up to me if I get released or not. Not being able to move... or speak. It makes me... relax. But it's also exciting. Like... I'm stuck. But also... free?"

I couldn't remember the last time I had shared so much. It was like when you had to pee and finally let go. It was impossible to stop. Geez, what a stupid analogy. I quickly raised the glass for another drink, forgetting it was already empty. I pretended to drink anyway. They were going to laugh at me any second now.

"Oh, I get it completely!" Jenny said as she refilled my glass. "I used to do all kinds of stuff on my own. When I was fourteen, I used to spread out clingfilm on the floor and then I rolled around in it until I was all wrapped up. Weird, right?"

I almost let out a giggle. The image of Jenny all wrapped up like a butterfly in a cocoon was... something.

"You mentioned you couldn't speak when you play?" Ditte said. "Do you gag yourself as well?”

"Oooh! You must show us!" Jenny said. She put her hands together, like a prayer. "Please!"

Chapter 6 – More Than I Could Chew

"Just use whatever you want!"

I barely registered Jenny's voice as I peered into the open dresser drawer. There was... so much. Bundles of cloth, bandanas, balls with straps, belts, ribbons and roll after roll of various kinds of tape. Did they really want me to gag myself in front of them? It somehow felt even more private than if Jenny had asked me to get naked. I ran a silky piece of fabric between my fingers. Soft. Was it too soft? Maybe they would think it was to flimsy? Maybe Arja would be like: "That's not really what you call a gag, is it?"

No, I had to do better than that. It wasn't like I had no practice. I had gagged myself plenty of times. At least if I counted my daydreams. In particular... I eyed a wide roll of matte gray tape.

I would show them I belonged at Tie-up Tuesdays!

***

"That's... I'm not sure how you made room", Ditte said as she held a hand over her own mouth.

"A-are you sure you’re okay, Tiril?" Jenny asked.

Arja just watched. She was hard to read.

I nodded, and just about repressed my gag reflex. I had removed one of my socks, and then, after a moment of hesitation, the other one as well. They were thick and wooly. The weather had gotten a bit too warm for them, but they made me feel secure. Now, one of them was balled up inside the other and the entire bundle was crammed into my gaping mouth. With some prodding I had gotten the huge wad just behind my teeth, and I was sure my cheeks bulged like an overeager chipmunk's.

I had almost stopped myself there and removed at least one of the socks. But that would have meant backing out. Everyone would have thought I was just a poser. So, I had put the sticky tape between my teeth and then wrapped it around and around my head. I had used much more force than needed and my head felt like a balloon about to pop. My nostrils flared as the tape almost covered them. I had meant to go all the way up to my nose but had overshot by just a fraction of an inch. I could smell the adhesive and some loose fibers along the edge of the tape tickled as I drew breath. I really hoped I wouldn't have to sneeze.

The three girls watched me. I could feel my pulse as it moved through my head. It was quick. But I needed to push myself just a bit further. I held out the roll of tape to Ditte. I felt like she wouldn't be too rough and not too soft. Like a tie-up Goldilocks. When she took it, I turned around and held my wrists together behind my back. I tried to keep my elbows close together. Like Jenny.

"You sure you want to go behind the back?" Ditte asked.

I wasn't sure. The gag was much more intense than I was used to, and I had to constantly suppress the urge to remove it. Still, I nodded. I tried to add a defiant little hmpf, but it came out more as a garbled swallow. I heard Ditte peel off the edge of the tape. It made a sharp, scratchy sound as it struggled to stay attached. Then I felt it against my wrist. Almost cool to the touch.

"I won't go too hard on you the first time", Ditte said as I felt layer after layer of tape trap my hands behind my back. "But I won't make it too wussy either. I'm not like Arja, but I still have some pride, you know?"

I almost didn't hear a word. I was being tied up by someone else. This wasn't just the bathroom sash where I could get free whenever I wanted. I would be helpless for real. If Ditte, Arja and Jenny wanted, they could keep my tied up for as long as they wished. I wouldn't even be able to beg them. They could just ignore my mumbles; drink iced tea and tease me as I tried to get free.

I had literal shivers going down my spine. Goosebumps. It was scary, but more than anything, it was exciting. I savored every moment.

Ditte stretched her arms around my stomach. At first, I thought she hugged me, but then I felt the tape going once, twice, three times around my arms and midriff. It was snug and kept my arms in place against my back. Then she spun me around, facing her. I was powerless to stop her and the butterflies in my stomach were probably enough to enable a typhoon in some faraway country.

"Tiril, this is important", she said. Her green eyes looked straight at my pupils. The eye contact made the situation even more intense. Ditte saw me. Like, not just looked at, but really saw me. With socks crammed in my mouth and tape wrapped over my mouth. One of the things I had kept locked up and hidden so deep inside of me was totally exposed to the person in front of me. I'm sure whatever still showed of my face was so red it bordered on purple. Oh. Ditte had kept talking. I had zoned out completely. I realized because she snapped her fingers in front of me.

"Earth to Tiril", Ditte said. She was smiling. I forced myself back to reality. "As I was saying: If you want to get out, just repeat anything three times. Blink, stomp, scream, whatever. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"Show me you got it."

I looked into her eyes and blinked three times as clear as I could. I tried to add "I understand". What came out wasn't even close to language.

"Good! Now... You want me to tape up your legs as well?" Ditte said as she pulled the screeching tape from the roll once more.

Part of me wanted to say no. The gag was getting worse every minute and the idea of how nice it would be to remove it kept breeching the surface of my conscious. But it was a smaller part. The larger part wanted Ditte to wrap and wrap until I couldn't move so much as a finger. And what would all of them think if they found out I had exaggerated the gag? No, I just had to persevere.

So, I nodded.

That was, as it would turn out, a mistake.

Chapter 7 – What Goes Up...

A minute later, Ditte had turned my legs into a single column with tape around my ankles, shins and thighs. As she took me by the arm, I hopped a couple of times over the floor. Just like Jenny. Ditte then helped me down on the soft carpet. As she leaned over me, one of her braids tickled my nostril slightly. She smiled as I scrunched my nose. Looking up at her made me feel tiny. Like she was in control. Which meant I was being controlled. My breath quickened.

"Feel free to squirm around, try to get free or whatever you feel like, okay? Just remember. Three times and we'll get you out."

I nodded.

"Oh, and you look very cute right now, Tiril."

"Like a helpless puppy", Arja said. I had almost forgotten that Ditte and I wasn't alone. Everything had just melted away. As I glanced at her, she had tiny smile.

"She looks wonderful", Jenny said as Ditte joined them. Jenny's smile was much bigger than Arja's. "Maybe I'll just keep her like this, to look at whenever I need something sweet."

The way they talked about me... I usually wasn't very good at taking compliments. I always froze because I started to think about what I should say. How I should react. That meant I usually fell silent and made everything awkward.

But right now, I couldn't answer. The tape over my mouth and the socks inside of it made it physically impossible. And that meant I didn't have to think about anything. To my shock I realized that this was perhaps the first time in my adult life that I had enjoyed someone saying something nice about me. My realization passed my heart and turned into happiness. No, stronger. Euphoria. Without thinking, I made a squealing sound and started to roll around. I kicked my legs and pulled on my wrists without inhibition. The tape around me was like a warm hug. The more I fought against it, the tighter the embrace. I wanted more. More helpless thrashing, tighter tie-ups, more restrictive. This was amazing!

Then, everything came tumbling down.

First, I realized my physical exertion was making it hard to breathe. It was like I was running at full speed and with the airtight seal of tape over my lips I could only get fresh oxygen through my nose. I breathed as hard as I can, but it wasn't enough. My worry turned to panic. I needed to remove the gag. Now! The tape around my head was too tight. It squeezed and squeezed as if it wanted to squash my head like a ripe melon. The thick wooly socks were swelling inside my mouth. They strained my jaw. They pushed on my tongue. Any second they threatened to slip down my throat.

Suddenly, I was trying to get free for real. Maybe I could have, but I had no finesse, no technique, just frantic yanks that made the tape cut into my wrists. Somewhere in the back of my mind a voice still spoke. They don't like you, Tiril. Not for real. And what do you think they'll say if you use the signal after you put on the gag yourself? They'll think you're a wannabe. A poser.

That's when my arms and legs started to prickle. Like they were falling asleep. As it got worse my field of vision started to shrink. Swirling black borders crept in from the side. I felt dizzy. Nauseous. Couldn't... focus.

What was... that signal... again?

Chapter 8 – Tears

"GET BACK!"

Somehow a voice reached me through the fog. It had a strong Finnish accent. Somehow, the pressure on my wrists evaporated and my hands were no longer stuck behind me. Something cold pressed against my cheek followed by a ripping sound that stung my face and pulled my hair. Then I heard myself gag and cough as a great lump of wooly fabric was pulled from my mouth.

My vision slowly cleared. Arja came into focus.

She was leaning over me. She looked furious.

"You idiot! I knew that gag was too big!"

I tried to get up. Arja held me down. I realized there was a pillow under my head.

I glanced to the side. Jenny had tears in her eyes. Ditte looked absolutely petrified. Pale as porcelain.

"I'm... fine", I tried to say but immediately started to cough.

"Drink something", Arja said as she leaned to the side and grabbed a glass of iced tea. With her help I sipped. Most of the ice had melted.

As I found my bearings, guilt welled up inside of me. Arja was constantly mumbling stuff like "idiot" and "stupid". I wanted to cry, but I bottled all of it up inside of me. I deserved no less. I had made every mistake in the book. Committed every sin. My own actions had made sure that no one in this room would ever trust me again. I had ruined everything, and I had nothing but myself to blame.

For the first time since I came, I dared to look Arja in the eyes. It didn't matter now, anyway. To my surprise, she hesitated. I took the opportunity to get to my feet. Only slightly unsteady.

"Sorry..." I said, without a plan for what I would say next. Fantastic job, Tiril. Just leave them with the same vapid impression that you came in with. They'll forget you, soon enough. "I can't..." That's as far as I got before I had to stop. I wouldn’t embarrass myself even further by breaking into tears.

Instead, I headed for the stairs. Too humiliated to stay a second longer.

Then, just as I put my foot on the lowest step, something flew over my head and shoulders. As it got to my arms it suddenly tightened, trapping them at my sides. As I looked down, I saw a rope. A lasso.

"No!"

The voice was cracking. I turned my head in surprise. The other end of the rope around my arms and waist was in Jenny's hands as she dug her feet into the carpet."

"You can’t leave, Tiril. Not like this! Guys, help me!"

I didn't know how to react. It would be trivial to slip free from the loop and just head up the stairs. But something in Jenny's voice... did she really want me to stay, after how stupid I had been?

Then Ditte gripped the rope as well.

"Please Tiril", she said. "Give us another chance!"

I didn't understand. I was the one who had made a mess of everything. Why was she apologizing?

With a tiny sigh, Arja gripped the rope as well.

"Don't just stand there", she said. "If you want her to come back you have... to... pull!"

With the three of them working together, there was really nothing I could do. As they pulled, the loop tightened, and I was much too confused to resist. Within seconds, they had reeled me in. Suddenly I found myself in the center of a group hug.

"I'm sorry..." I started before I realized they were all saying the same thing. All in their own ways. Did they all blame themselves? Just like me? Did they... really want me to stay?

Then, I did something else that I hadn't done in front of anyone for as long as I could remember. I started to cry. I couldn't stop it. The tears just flowed, and where they ran they washed away my insecurity, leaving only freshly exposed and sensitive joy behind.

It was tears of happiness.

Epilogue – Going Home

I'll never forget how I felt as I walked home that night. Just a bit of chill in the air. The sun just barely above the horizon. My bare feet chafing against my low-cut boots. Both of my thick wooly socks were jammed into the right pocket of my coat, still a bit soggy. They barely fit.

I hadn’t done any more tie-ups, but I had stayed. And I had enjoyed myself. I had laughed as Ditte had slipped out of Arja’s ropes within a minute, while Jenny had been stuck against the exact same tie. We had shared sandwiches. Jenny had showed me all manner of equipment. And outfits. She was trying to become a designer, and she practiced both her sewing and leatherwork by making stuff for tie-ups. She even convinced me to let her take my measurements.

Most importantly, I had promised to return next week. They wanted me to come back. My heart wanted to dance.

About halfway home I realized there was something in my left pocket as well. I rummaged and pulled out an envelope. Curious, I stopped under a newly lit streetlamp. Inside was a common wooden pencil, along with a note. Neat handwriting, but a bit rushed as if someone wanted to finish before being spotted. It read:

Tiril’s Gag Training

Week 1:

While this pencil is between your teeth, you are not allowed to speak. Keep it there for 15 minutes daily. Extra Credit if you do it in public!

Report for evaluation and further instructions in one week.

/Arja

P.S. I'll know if you cheat!

I folded the note and put it back inside the envelope. Then, without hesitation, I put the pencil between my teeth. It pushed a little against the corners of my mouth.

I didn't care if anyone saw me.

If they thought it was weird, that was their problem.